Thursday, September 20, 2012

College: The Pros, the Cons, and What to Expect

By Karam Atli

The thought of college lingers in the back of the mind of
most high school students (I can relate since I’m a sophomore getting ready to
take the SAT’s next year) ; especially those of juniors and seniors. Many of
you may be wondering what exactly college life is like, how it feels to be a
college student, and what to expect when taking your first steps into college. So
that’s why I’m here today to tell you about my experiences as a college student
living the college life.

Many of you might be thinking right now, Wait a second… didn’t she just say she’s a sophomore?
What does she know about college? Well, you see, I do not go to just any
ordinary high school. I attend Florida Atlantic University High School. In this
school, we complete all four years of high school curriculum in our freshman
year on the high school campus, which is located within the A.D. Henderson
school grounds. However, once we become sophomores, we officially become
college students. So as a sophomore, I am studying on the Florida Atlantic
University campus as an actual college student, taking actual university
classes, and yes alongside actual university students which are approximately
4-5 years older than me.

So sit back, get comfortable, and take some notes as I share
my experiences in college and describe to you the pros, the cons, and what to
expect when you become a college freshman.

The Pros:

1.Making your schedule: This is by far one of the
best things about college. Since we started school as a child, our class schedules
have been created by school administrators. However, once you become a college student,
this all changes. You now wield the majestic, mystical, and unknown power to
create your very own schedule. This way
you can plan your class times around your own personal schedule.

2.Less homework: One great thing about college is
that there is significantly less homework for the classes in comparison to high
school. However this can be both a good thing and also a bad thing. Good thing
is that you have more time on your hands. However, the bad thing is that this
will provide you will less opportunity to practice and remember the skills and
lessons you learned in class. Instead, you must become more responsible and
manage your time well by making use of it efficiently by studying.

3.Fewer Exams: Just like the less homework pro,
this can be both a good and a bad thing. Although you will have more time
between exams, these exams will mostly likely count as more, have a greater
impact on your final grade in the course, and also cover more material.
Therefore, make a smart use of this in-between and minimalize that partying to
save time for studying.

4.Each Course Only Lasts One Semester: This means
if you have to take a course that you despise and dread, it will only last one
semester, HALF the time it would usually take in high school. So hip-hip-hooray
for that!

The Cons:

1. Less Caring Teachers: The big difference between
high school teachers and college ones is not just the name change to professor,
but also the fact that college professors usually care less for individual
students than high school teachers do. It’s not that they are cold-hearted; it
is because of the sheer number of students they teach as a whole. Some teachers
teach up to a couple thousand students per week. This makes it difficult for
the professor to answer individual questions from each student that may be
confused on the lesson. Instead, a better way to answer your questions may be
to ask your TA (teacher’s assistant) for assistant and clarification or even on
campus tutors or supplemental instruction leaders.

2.Being Absent Can Be a Big Deal: In high school,
being absent for a few days when you are sick or just can’t make it, was not a
big deal. You would have days to make up missed exams or homework. However,
college is a whole different playing field. Missing a day or two can really
create a big dent in your grade. Losing valuable in-class participation points
can be like giving up an easy A. Also, there are no make-up days for exams in
college. Once you miss an exam, you will indeed receive a 0. So get your flu
shots and take your vitamins everyone!

My Experiences:

We FAU High students usually conceal our high school
identities from both our professors and our college peers. We do this not
because we want to, but because some professors and students are not comfortable
with the fact that high school students are in their class. In fact, when
people ask me how old I am, I do not say I am 15, instead I say I am 17.

Sometimes, when Boca High dual-enrolled students march over
advertising they are high school students, the college students are bewildered
and shocked. However, they do not realize that there are many other high school
students (FAU High) in their class as well. We FAU High kids sometimes laugh at
the thought of the college students realizing that they are surrounded by high
school students.

Other than that, college life has been a wonderful
experience for me, and I really do enjoy it. It provides me with more of a
sense of freedom and responsibility. Transitioning into a college lifestyle was
not too difficult. Once you get the hang of commuting from one side of the
campus to the other, the professor’s style of teaching, and your new schedule,
you will do fine.

Funny Short Story:

My Biodiversity professor poked fun at the high school
students by saying that the students who receive the high grades in his class
are usually in high school. He explained that when you are 15, you still have
to listen to and obey your parents; however, if a college student’s parents
asked them if they finished their homework, the student would just roll their
eyes and stare at them like they have problems.

So now that I have given all the advice I could give in this
article, I just want to say to all the high school students out there, work
hard and keep up those good grades everyone! It will all be worth it once you
get accepted into your dream university!